Going Under
by WritersPassion25
Summary: Draco Malfoy has changed and everyone can tell, but will this new Draco be accepted? Draco needs to find a friend before he loses control and he finds that friend to be Harry, with a little help from Dumbledore. Warning: Slash and Self Mutilation


A/N: Well Hellllo everyone! This story gets pretty angsty... I sure have a thing with angst... I dunno, too much fluff just doesnt work for me I guess. And the story is rated M for self mutilation along the way... But no worries! It does have a happy ending! So if you'll bear with me and review... well, things can only get better from there! So without further ado, I give you...

Chapter One

Eventually

Draco Malfoy stepped out of the fire place, careful to wipe his feet on the hearth rug, and into the den of the Malfoy Manor.

"Mum! I'm home!" hollered the sixteen year old blonde. He paused for a moment. "Mum?"

"In the kitchen!" came the voice of Narcissa Malfoy.

Draco hurried into the kitchen and grinned upon seeing his mother in an apron. "What are you making?" Draco asked, setting his cloak and book on a chair.

"Oh, just some biscuits to go with dinner." she replied. "Did you get what you needed?"

Draco nodded. "I just needed my book for Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts. I forgot to pick it up yesterday."

"That's good dear. Could you pass me the cookie cutter please?"

Draco hurried to grab the cookie cutter and passed it to his mother. Narcissa smiled at her son and placed a quick kiss on his forehead.

Draco returned the smile. "I'm going upstairs to finish packing my trunk."

"Alright, but don't forget that dinner will be ready in a half hour."

Draco nodded and hurried upstairs, grabbing his cloak and new book on the way by. He entered his ridiculously large bedroom and the closed the door behind him. Dropping his cloak and book on the bed, his looked around his room. It was painted a bright off white and was accented with royal blue bed, curtains, shelves and furniture. Contrary to popular belief, Draco's favourite colour was not green, black or silver; it was a bright royal blue. Something only his mother happened to know.

Draco sighed and walked over to his bedroom window. He looked out into the gardens and smiled. Perhaps his was biased, but he thought the Malfoy gardens were the most beautiful gardens anywhere. His gaze lingered for a moment on the giant rose bush his mother had planted for him, before his mind returned to the task at hand; packing for his return to Hogwarts.

"Sixth year," Draco muttered, "right in the middle of exams. First OWL's, now NEWT's. Pure torture."

Stepping over to his trunk, Draco summoned his Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts book over and placed it among his other school books. Draco hadn't really been surprised to get accepted into Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts. He'd received the third highest mark in the year in that class. Potter had pulled off the top mark, with Granger in a close second. Apparently the Weasel had snuck in the fourth mark, and surprisingly, Longbottom fifth. Draco had also been accepted into Advanced Potions and Advanced Charms, which also hadn't surprised Draco; he was really quite bright.

As Draco finished packing he glanced around the room for anything he'd missed. On the top of his dresser, Draco noticed a picture of his mother and himself. They had been out in the garden during the summer, and Narcissa had shown Draco the deep, candy apple red roses she had planted for him. One of the gardeners had taken a picture of them, and given it to Narcissa, who'd given Draco a copy

Draco summoned the photograph over, wrapped it in his cloak, and placed it on top of everything in his trunk. He closed the lid and locked his trunk.

This year was going to be murder. Ever since Lucius had been arrested, Narcissa had gone and cleared out all the dark arts stuff. Everything about the Malfoy life seemed to have lightened considerably. But there were still days when Narcissa would come across an object that brought back a good memory of her (soon to be 'ex') husband. She'd have a little teary moment, and then go on about her business, although she'd seem rather distant for a while. Narcissa was slowly wiping the dark arts out of the Malfoy Manor and out of the Malfoy's lives.

Draco had felt quite relieved when his mother had said she was divorcing Lucius and changing their lives around. Draco also felt a lot less like an evil git, which he knew would not go over with the Slytherins well at all. But somehow, Draco knew he would manage.

Sometimes Draco would worry about if Lucius escaped from Azkaban, which was unavoidable with the Dementors working for Voldemort. But Narcissa always told him not to worry; she'd figure it out when the time came.

Draco shook himself out of his reverie and from downstairs he heard his mother calling him to dinner. "Might as well make it an enjoyable meal," Draco muttered to himself, "it's the last one we're going to be sharing for a while." Straightening his shirt, Draco headed downstairs.

* * *

Harry was jolted awake by a pillow slammed across his head. 

"Harry! Wake up!" came a commanding voice. "Mrs. Weasley says we'll miss the train if you and Ron don't get up NOW!"

Harry opened his eyes to see one of his best friends standing over him, a second pillow in her hands. "G'morning to you to Hermione," Harry said through a yawn. He rolled over and shook Ron awake.

"Whasamatter?" Ron asked stupidly as he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"We're going to be l-late for the t-t-train," Harry muttered through a yawn.

"Oh, thasall? Ten more minutes," Ron replied and fell back on to the bed.

"Oh no you don't Ronald Weasley! Up! NOW!" Hermione yelled, with a grin as she threw her remaining pillow at Ron.

"Right then," Ron said, dragging himself out of bed. He grabbed the offending pillow and chased after Hermione. Hermione squealed and ran out of the room and down the stairs, with Ron right on her heels.

Harry looked to where Hermione had been standing and saw Ginny. "Morning Ginny."

Ginny smiled. "Morning Harry. You might want to hurry and get dressed. Don't forget to bring down your trunk, Mum's in a right state."

Harry nodded his thanks, and Ginny left the room. He had just finished pulling on his clothes when Ron burst in.

"Hurry up Ron, your mum's having a fit, you know," Harry said with a grin.

Ron rolled his eyes and proceeded to throw on his clothes. Harry heaved his trunk down the stairs. As he reached the bottom Mrs. Weasley pushed a stack of toast into his hand and chivied him out the door to the waiting taxi.

"RONALD!" she hollered up the stairs, "WE'RE LEAVING!"

Harry was surprised to only see one taxi waiting for them, but then he realized there were only five of them going to the station. As Harry helped the taxi driver put their trunks in the back, he thought about the new year and what surprises it would have in store. It was going to seem very odd with just the four of them going back to school. Harry sighed. It was just another rung on the ladder of life, like Sirius' death.

Harry had finally come to terms with Sirius' death. He had taken the emotional blow quite hard, but he had come through in the end.

At the very last moment, Ron dashed out of the Burrow, threw his trunk in the back, and climbed in the back seat with Hermione and Harry. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were in the front seat with the driver.

The ride to the station was uneventful, unless you counted Hermione and Ron arguing about whether or not they should start learning NEWT level spells early. They arrived at the station with twenty minutes to spare. Harry and Ron unloaded all the trunks onto Trolleys, and Hermione helped Mrs. Weasley pay the taxi driver. Together they wheeled their trolleys into the station and towards Platform 9 ¾

Harry noticed a man standing next to the barrier, and he looked suspiciously like a wizard. He was reading a muggle newspaper. The man caught Harry's eye and nodded every so slightly. Harry acknowledged the man and felt relieved that the ministry was finally taking some (however miniscule they were) protective measures against Voldemort. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny passed through the barrier first, with Ron and Hermione following close behind.

Harry was about to pass through the barrier when he heard a pleasant "Hello Harry" from behind him. Turning quickly, Harry was shocked to see a smiling Draco Malfoy beside him. His eye's widened.

"Uh…hello… Mal-Draco," Harry stuttered.

Draco nodded. "After you," Draco said, gesturing to the barrier.

Harry wheeled his trolley onto the Platform and his mind reeled in astonishment. Draco Malfoy had just exchanged pleasantries with him. This was definitely going to be an interesting year.

* * *

Draco hurried down the train, searching for an empty compartment. The look on Harry's face had been quite funny. Draco smiled to himself and continued to search for a compartment. Finally, after several minutes, he found one. He levitated his trunk up on the rack, and sat down, looking out the window. 

The door to the compartment opened, as the train pulled out of the station, and Crabbe and Goyle entered clumsily. "Hello Draco," the muttered.

"Hello," Draco returned the greeting, "Did you have a good summer?"

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged stupid glances. Draco was acting different, weird, almost…pleasant. They slowly nodded at Draco.

Draco smiled, "Excellent. My summer was superb."

"Uh, Draco, we saw Potter, Weasel, and Granger a few compartments back…" Crabbe murmured.

"That's all right," Draco replied, "I've already said Hello to them." He summoned down his Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts book and began skimming through it.

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged alarmed looks and slowly backed out of the compartment. There was a long pause which Crabbe broke by saying, "You got into Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts?"

Draco nodded, "Along with Advanced Charms and Potions."

Crabbe and Goyle looked shocked. "Uh, well, we'll just go and…find Blaise…" Goyle muttered, and pulled Crabbe out of the compartment behind him.

Draco watched the two Slytherins leave, shrugged, and went back to reading his book.


End file.
